AN exhibition is being staged at the Lawrence Batley Theatre as a trailblazer for the Host Open Studio Trail.

The trail runs over two weekends in September and will feature the work of 63 artists in 27 venues across the Huddersfield area from Denby Dale and the Colne and Holme Valleys to the town centre – and this year it has expanded into Mirfield and as far as Batley.

The work will be staged in places as diverse as homes, studios and public open spaces.

Brochures are now available at the Tourist Information Centre on Albion Street in Huddersfield and from racks in the Media Centre foyer or visit the website at www.hoststudios.co.uk.

Alternatively, send a stamped addressed A5 envelope to HOST, c/o Radiant Works, Back Union Street, Huddersfield, HD1 6AL.

The trails will be on September 19 and 20 in Huddersfield and September 26/27 in north Kirklees and will feature a series of creative activities and drop-in workshops.

The talent on display will include jewellers, ceramists, designers, textile artists, painters, photographers, fine artists and sculptors.

The exhibition at the LBT contains some promising work from the AIM (Artists in Mind) group like James Fitzpatrick’s cartoon-style painting of two skateboarders and Jill Burgess’s heavy impasto untitled pieces.

Stephen Parnell’s large landscape features a fairground, complete with roller coaster, shooting range and ghost train, peopled with Lowry-like figures.

David Coldwell evokes the style of Peter Brook, of Brighouse, with his sheep painting and a deserted Pennine farmhouse in snow, while Bini Atkinson’s My New Feet is a complex but well handled piece in mixed media.

Alison Taylor’s abstract works are worth a mention, and so is the work of Gustavo Mainetti. The Argentinean cafe owner from Milnsbridge recently featured in the Examiner has two abstracts on view, one all green and one all red, while his imagination works well in Fino Mirrors, another large piece featuring more than 40 mirrors on a red and black background.

Robert Ashton (Massive Pixels) gives us a striking portrait of a dog.

All the exhibits mentioned so far are in the bar and upper area while the foyer has three classy, well-presented works by Amanda Crowther – a woman in hooped skirt, Josephine, a cellist in socks and Three Stooges.

On the shelves in the foyer, Judy Tadman’s impressive works in cord include one piece which must be around 8ft tall.

The exhibition continues until September 27.